Bob Iger on Disney’s Mobile Video Future

We just reported on the strong rumor that Disney was considering a purchase of Netflix, the streaming video service. Disney has also been linked to a possible purchase of the social network Twitter. I think Netflix makes more sense than Twitter personally, but if you’re focused on the impact of Mobile on future media consumption, Twitter might be the smarter movie.

The Walt Disney Company CEO Bog Iger spoke recently at a Boston College executive forum. Many of his comments covered the subject of Disney’s mobile video focused future. (The whole speech should be available to stream on the BC.edu site soon.)

“Technology’s tools are giving the consumer an ability to pick and choose and even price in a much more consumer-centric manner, so you have to embrace it because it’s not going away. The biggest thing that we’re trying to do now is figure out what technology’s role is in distributing the great content that we have,” said Iger.

Iger was asked about the potential purchases on Netflix and/or Twitter. He replied:

“I obviously won’t comment on potential acquisitions: that shouldn’t mean that we are doing anything or not doing anything. When you mention Netflix and Twitter and Facebook and a variety of other — Amazon, Apple — new entrants into the marketplace you see companies that are not only technology companies and distributing content, they are starting to invest more and more in making content. Twitter licensing the NFL is a example of that.”

As Iger states, Twitter is making a big pivot to video. As they’re already primarily a mobile experience, if they can layer on longer video viewing it would be a niche that other social networks (other than YouTube, of course) haven’t yet mastered. That would make it a good candidate for purchase by Disney. As a content creator, Disney needs to have methods of getting the content in front of consumers where, when, and on what device the consumer is most interested in consuming it. (That seems logical, right?)

Disney has already made one purchase of a company designed to strengthen its online content. BAMTech is the video streaming arm of Major League Baseball. Iger hopes the technology can help ESPN make the leap from a strictly cable delivery network to one taht also streams to mobile and over-the-top boxes and apps.

One thought on “Bob Iger on Disney’s Mobile Video Future”

I’m gonna go with both. Because they’re the most likely and most logical company to pick up the companies and they’re gonna use it to make more original content, give Marvel and Star War a new streaming home and help them work on projects for years to come